Machine adapted for the application of seals or lids to bottles and containers

ABSTRACT

A machine for the application of seals or lids to bottles or containers, characterized in that it comprises an upright-column as rotating axis for a drum which supports a series of brackets, and a plate supporting a plurality of sealing heads supplied by a rotary disc, which receives the seals proceding from a hopper through a duct in which the seals are caused to turn 90*, said plate lying in an inclined plane relative to the plane of the said brackets said upright-column resting upon a baseplate and having a rod, provided with a threaded portion at its upper end, along the axis thereof, the rod foot being coupled with a reducer, provided with a handwheel.

' United States Patent 1191. I

[11] 3,807,133 Simonazzi Apr. 30, 1974 [5 MACHINE ADAPTED FOR THE l,9l2,677 6/1933 Williams .Q 53/300 APPLICATION OF SEALS R ups TO 328 23; Z132; g

over et a BOTTLES AND CONTAINERS 3,432,989 3/1969 Bouzereau' 53/300 X [76] Inventor: Ampelio Simonazzi, 43016 Baccaneui via Spezia 217 (Fauna), FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Italy l,8l0,752 5/1970 Germany 53/306 F 7 [22] Flled Dec 29 19 1 Przmary Exammer-Traws S. McGehee [21] Appl. No.: 213,266 Assistant ExaminerHorace M. Culver [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Dec. 31, 1970 Italy 42533/ v machineifor the ppl of Seals or to b tles or containers, characterized in that it comprises [52] US. Cl. 53/306, 198/33 AC an upright column as rotating axis for a drum which [51] Int. Cl..... B67b 3/064, B67b 3/062, B65b 7/28 x 6 3 3 3 supports a series of brackets, and a plate supporting a [58] ield of Search 53/30 67, 68, 43, plurality of Sealing heads li d b a rotary disc, 53/351 which receives the seals proeeding from a hopper 198/33 33 193/43 A through a duct in which the seals are caused to turn said plate lying in an inclined plane relative to the [56] References C'ted plane of the said brackets said upright-column resting UNITED STATES PATENTS upon a baseplate and-having a rod, provided with a 2,031,735 2/1936 Risser 53/306 X threaded portion at its upper end, along the axis 2,036,796 4/1936 Markus et a1... 53/368 'thereof, the rod foot being coupled with a reducer, 2,5 l0,568 6/1950 Fouse 53/308 X rovided with a handwheeL 3,524,294 8/l970 Koll 53/201 X 1,775,255 9/1930 Risser 53/306 5 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures aggm PATENTED APR 3 0 I974 FIG 2 PATENTEDAPR 30 mm 3.807; 1 3 3 sumunr HM 1 g! i l 20 l \gr I PATENTEDAPR30 I974 SHEEI 5 0f 7 "ATENTEUAPR 30 191 3801.133

sum NF 7 The invention relates in general to a machine adapted for the application of crown seals or lids to bottles and containers, and in particular to such a machine provided with a particular device for the continuous supply of said seals or lids to its sealing heads.

As is well known, machines for applying crown seals or other seal types which require a vertical pressure for their application are generally formed of a rotary drum, carrying on a peripheric circular crown a certain number of seats in which the bottles (or, more generally, the containers) are placed at the sealing operation. On and at the bottles there are placed a series of sealing cylinders or heads, sliding parallel to the vertical rotation axis in special cylindrical cavities provided in the periphery of a second rotary drum, integral with the first drum and disposed thereupon. The stationary portion, projecting from above the second drum, carries a circular shaped cavity in which a number of rollers, integral with the sealing heads, slide thereby controlling the vertical motion.

Furthermore, in the sealing machines at present commercially available, the seals are introduced in a proper seat, provided at the lower part of the sealing head. Underneath said seat there is placed a centering cone for guiding the bottles to the seal, which during the. sealing stage is fed onto the bottle by the lowering motion of the entire sealing head, controlled by the roller working in the upper cavity. The seal is then fastened to the bottle by means of end pressure exerted by a cone.

In the traditional type of sealing machines, the seals are normally introduced into a hopper provided with a movable crown which distributes the seals in a duct, wherein they slide forward one after the other either upright or upside down in horizontal direction, that is with their axes disposed at right angles to the direction of motion. The above-mentioned seals meet with a device adapted to locate the seals which are upside down in correct position for placement on the bottles. Said device, in practice, performs the following steps: separation of the seals moving forward in the correct position for application from the seals which are upside down; 180 rotation of the latter; reassembly along one single duct of the formerly separated seals. This reassembly of the two seal flows often results in the clogging of the seal feeding device. It should be noted, however, that in the sealing machines of traditional design the seals are being placed in suitable openings, provided in a series of sealing heads, regularly disposed around the periphery of a cylinder, rotating about its own axis.

The bottles are carried and positioned underneath said heads, which are then lowered to place the seals onto the bottles and, by means of a properly inclined cone pressure is exerted as necessary for the final sealing. In this manner, the seal is removed from its seat, which will thus be empty to receive a new seal.

If however, the bottle is missing at a sealing head, the seal would remain in its seat and the next seal might be moved into the seat thereby sliding upon the first seal. Since the crown seals are provided with a toothing at their maximum diameter, said sliding is rather difficult and might cause clogging in the feeding device. It

should also be stressed here that in the traditional type of sealing machines, the motion of the seals is generally accomplished by gravity or possibly by resorting to a blast of compressed air in order to facilitate their entry into the sealing heads.

This fact leads to the requirement that the hopper must be placed in the uppermost portion of the machine, so that dust and other impurities, such as paper pieces are compelled to pass with the seals themselves with the possibility of falling into the underlying bottles.

It should be noted here that in using normal sealing machines some difficulties might be experienced in connection with the sealing of containers, both plastics and glass, which are not intended to be returned to the supplier and which are not always in a position to withstand the axial sealing thrust.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine for the application of seals or lids to bottles or containers, characterized in that it comprises an upright-column defining the rotation axis for a drum which supports a series of brackets, and a plate supporting a plurality of sealing heads supplied by a rotary disc, which receives the seals proceeding from a hopper through a duct in which the seals are caused to turn saidplate lying in an inclined plane relative to the planeof the said brackets, said upright-column resting upon a baseplate and having a rod, provided with a threaded portion at its upper end, along the axis thereof, the rod foot being coupled with a reducer, provided with a handwheel.

According to a preferred aspect, this machine is also provided with a hopper provided with a vertical duct, having arectangular section, said vertical duct connecting to a horizontalduct, the lower side of which constitutes a belt conveyor, in said duct being further placed a divider, having a frustro-conical section, be-

yond which said duct divides on the upper part thereof in to two slots which gradualy diverge.

Further characteristic features of a functional and constructional nature of the sealing machine according to the present invention will better be understood from the following detailed description and the figures given on the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a vertical schematic section of said sealing machine:

FIG. 2 shows in section the feeding device supplying the seals to the rotary distributing disc;

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent different cross sections of the seal feeding duct in the portion whereat the separation of the seals and their correct positioning take place;

FIGS. 8 and 9 represent a vertical section viewed from above the rotary disc for the distribution of the seals to the sealing heads;

FIG. 10 shows a schematical section in plan view of the sealing machine according to this invention with the inlet and outlet of the containers and the seal feed;

FIGS. 11 and 12 represent a detail of a container during the sealing operation;

FIG. 13 represent in a view from above, a container, clamped between the guide and the counter-guide, supporting the container itself during the sealing stage; and

FIG. 14 shows finally a vertical section of a sealing head.

Referring now to the reference numerals given on the figures of the accompanying drawings, the sealing manut 43 the frame 44 having a cylindrical box-like configuration.

In the central portion of said box-like body there is situated a hollow member 10 this also being of cylindrical configuration and-internal section equal to the external section of the column 11, and thus able to slide longitudinally of the column itself. Said cylindrical member 10 is provided with an upper circular crown 45,'disposed according to a conveniently inclined plane relative to the plane at rightangles to the column 11.

Plate 2 is connected to the crown 45 through the bearing 3 which may be of the crossed roller type or of the ball bearing type with deep grooves and thus capable of supporting equally well both axial and radial thrusts. Plate 2, peripherally supports a series of sealing heads, being located at equal distance from each other.-

Said sealing heads 1 will be fixedly secured to the plate 2 by means of ball joints 5 or other particular jointing arrangements, in relation to the inclination angle of the plate itself relative to the axis of the column 11. The cylindrical member has in addition a lower circular crown 46 to which there is connected via the bearing 47 the member 48 of frusto-conical configuration. In the peripheral portion of the member 48 there are provided cylindrical openings, adapted to ensure the guiding and sliding of the sealing heads 1 during their rotation. The member 48 rests upon the drum 4, which is installed on the lower drum 7, so that it can slide axially relative thereto. This ability to slide axially is necessary should it be necessary to operate on bottles of different height sothat the position of the sealing heads 1 may be adjusted accordingly.

Motion is preferably transmitted with the aid of the gear 6 to the lower drum 7, which transmits said motion to the upper drum 4 via the grooved connection 15.

All the rotary assembly is guided by the bearing 16, which, by its shape and dimensions, can withstand all axial, radial and eccentric stresses, which would have a tendency to bring the rotary parts out of balance. Said bearing is actually of the crossed roller bearing or ball bearing type with deep grooves, so that any wear possibly resulting in the course of time would be automatically relieved.

The lower drum 7 is fitted with a series of brackets 8, disposed at the sealing heads 1, supporting the containers 17-which are also supported at the guides 18 and 9. In particular, as it may be clearly seen in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, the guide 18, being integral with the rotary portion, and consequently stationary relative to the containers, is shaped so as to provide with a counter-guide 19, a support seat for the neck of the container itself during sealing of the container. By such arrangement, the axial sealing thrust discharges directly against said seat, without involving the remaining parts of the container, which might havethe shape and thickness best-fitting for general cost and aesth etical presentation requirements and not be able to withstand this thrust.

The seals20 arrive at this machine on the conveyor 30, fromiwhere they are picked up by the star 31, which pushes them onto theguide 32 until underneath the sealing heads 1. These are providedjat their extreme portion, with a small magnet, lodged in the small piston Y 21, which attracts the seal 20- and retains it until the sealing has been carried out.

The sealing of the container is achieved by the lower-.

ing of the cone 22, which, by pressing on the edge of the seal 20, causes it to adhere tightly to the edge 49 of'the container itself. The driving of said star 31, synchronized with the movement of the sealing heads 1 is obtained by fastening the star itself to the toothed wheel 34, which meshes with the sealing heads direct, thereby building up a driving wheel. (see FIG.'9).

- The seal feeding device consists of a hopper 50, provided with a lower duct 51, having a rectangular section. The seals falling into said duct lie vertically one over the other with their hollow portions oriented parallel to-the side walls of the duct itself. I

The vertical duct 51 connects then to the horizontal duct 52 the lower side of which is made up of a belt conveyor 53. The seals 20 are thus driven into the duct 52 until meeting with a-divider 54 having a frustroconical section.

Said divider will cause a separation of the seals having their concavity turned one direction, from those having their concavity turned in the opposite direction, forcing their toothed edges against either of the side walls of the duct.

'Said duct is then divided on the upper part at portion 55 into two slots 56 and 57 which gradually diverge thus forcing the seals to rotate in one direction or the other, so that the seals themselves, in the duct section 30 will be in the correct position to be applied to the, containers (see FIGS. 3 to 7).

From the foregoing description, it can be appreciated by the artisan that the invention provides an improved machine for sealing containers 17, such machine being a type in which a plurality of reciprocable sealing heads 1' travel around a closedpath to press covers or seals 20 upon containers l7 presented for sealing. Essentially, one improvement of the invention comprises a duct having vertical and horizontal sections 51, 52, the duct section 51 having'an'upper enddisposed. to receive covers 20 from a supply thereof, suchas hopper 50, a lower end positioned to discharge the covers 20, I

cover is removed from the first conveyor 53 by the action of star disc 31 of the second conveyor means. Disc 31 moves each successive cover along a path overlying guide 32 and intersecting the closed path of sealing head 1 movement at a location that can be termed a delivery point. As better seen in FIG. 8, the cover 20 arriving at the delivery point is presented to the sealing head 1 arriving thereat, the movement of the conveyor disc 31 being synchronized with the movement of the sealing heads 1 around their closed path of movement, so that the arrivals of successive covers 20 and sealing heads 1 at the delivery point substantially coincide. Expediently, this synchronization is effected by the toothed wheel 34 that is connected to disc 31.

Because it is essential that the covers 20 arriving at the delivery point be in a predetermined orientation, namely facing downwardly and lying horizontally, the invention provides guide means 54, 56, 57 illustrated in FIGS. 2-7, such guide means being positioned to engage the covers during their movement by the first conveyor 53 to establish such predetermined orientation before the covers 20 arrive at the transfer point where they are picked up by the second conveyor, disc 31.

Another improvement provided by the invention is the support means 18, 19 that engages the container 17 at a location thereon intermediate its open end and its closed end remote from the sealing head. Such support means, which is preferably arranged to engage the container along a protruding portion of its neck adjacent its open end, resists the load applied by the sealing head 1 and thereby diminishes the load to be' carried by that portion of the container 17 between the place of support means engagement and its remote end thus, only the upper neck portion of the container 17 need be designed to withstand the anticipated sealing head load, and the portion of the container therebelow can be designed lighter in strength for economy since it does not have to function as a column.

I claim: I

1. In a machine for sealing containers in which a plurality of reciprocable sealing heads travel around a closed path to press covers upon containers presented for sealing, the improvement which comprises a duct having an upper end disposed to receive covers from a supply thereof, and a lower end positioned to discharge said covers, a first conveyor means disposed to receive the covers discharged from said duct and to move said covers in sequence to a transfer point, a second conveyor means operable to remove from the first conveyor means each successive cover at said transfer point, move the cover to a delivery point on said closed path, and present the cover to the sealing head arriving at said delivery point, and a toothed wheel engaged between sealing heads and rotatably driven by the movement thereof about said closed path, said toothed wheel being connected to said second conveyor means to rotatably drive same in synchronization with the movement of said sealing heads about said closed path so that the arrivals of successive covers and sealing heads at said delivery point substantially coincide.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 including guide means positioned to engage the covers during their movement by said first conveyor means to establish a predetermined orientation of said covers prior to arrival at said transfer point.

3. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means includes a belt conveyor disposed in underlying relation to said duct.

4. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said second conveyor means includes a rotatable disc positioned in overlying relation to said first conveyor means and disposed to move said covers along a circular path.

5. ln a machine for sealing containers in which a plurality of reciprocable sealing heads travel around a closed path to press covers having a concavity on one side upon containers presented for sealing, the improvement which comprises a first duct having an upper end disposed to receive covers from a supply thereof, and a lower end positioned to discharge said covers; a first conveyor means disposed to receive the covers discharged from said first duct and to move said covers in sequence to a transfer point; a divider having a frusto-conical cross-section, positioned to separate the covers on said first conveyor having the concavity oriented in a first direction from those having the concavity oriented in the opposite direction; a secondduct to which the covers are supplied, the upper portion of said second duct including two gradually diverging slots forcing each cover to rotate into the direction of its concavity thereby orienting each cover with its concavity in the direction of said first conveyor; and a second conveyor means operable to remove from the first conveyor means each successive cover at said transfer point, move the cover to a delivery point on said closed path and present the cover to the sealing head arriving at said delivery point, the movement of said second conveyor means being synchronized with the movement of the sealing heads around said closed path so that the arrivals of successive covers and sealing heads at said delivery point substantially coincide. 

1. In a machine for sealing containers in which a plurality of reciprocable sealing heads travel around a closed path to press covers upon containers presented for sealing, the improvement which comprises a duct having an upper end disposed to receive covers from a supply thereof, and a lower end positioned to discharge said covers, a first conveyor means disposed to receive the covers discharged from said duct and to move said covers in sequence to a transfer point, a second conveyor means operable to remove from the first conveyor means each successive cover at said transfer point, move the cover to a delivery point on said closed path, and present the cover to the sealing head arriving at said delivery point, and a toothed wheel engaged between sealing heads and rotatably driven by the movement thereof about said closed path, said toothed wheel being connected to said second conveyor means to rotatably drive same in synchronization with the movement of said sealing heads about said closed path so that the arrivals of successive covers and sealing heads at said delivery point substantially coincide.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1 including guide means positioned to engage the covers during their movement by said first conveyor means to establish a predetermined orientation of said covers prior to arrival at said transfer point.
 3. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means includes a belt conveyor disposed in underlying relation to said duct.
 4. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said second conveyor means includes a rotatable disc positioned in overlying relation to said first conveyor means and disposed to move said covers along a circular path.
 5. In a machine for sealing containers in which a plurality of reciprocable sealing heads travel around a closed path to press covers having a concavity on one side upon containers presented for sealing, the improvement which comprises a first duct having an upper end disposed to receive covers from a supply thereof, and a lower end positioned to discharge said covers; a first conveyor means disposed to receive the covers discharged from said first duct and to move said covers in sequence to a transfer point; a divider having a frusto-conical cross-section, positioned to separate the covers on said first conveyor having the concavity oriented in a first direction from those having the concavity oriented in the opposite direction; a second duct to which the covers are supplied, the upper portion of said second duct including two gradually diverging slots forcing each cover to rotate into the direction of its concavity thereby orienting each cover with its concavity in the direction of said first conveyor; and a second conveyor means operable to remove from the first conveyor means each successive cover at said transfer point, move the cover to a delivery point on said closed path and present the cover to the sealing head arriving at said delivery point, the movement of said second conveyor means being synchronized with the movement of the sealing heads around said closed path so that the arrivals of successive covers and sealing heads at said delivery point substantially coincide. 